Heat exchanger assembly

Abstract

A readily fabricated, compact toroidal or radial heat exchanger assembly (10) including fore and aft ring-like distributor tanks (11,12) and a generally circular core assembly (13) sandwiched therein between. The heat exchanger assembly (10) additionally includes a rotary blower (14), positioned radially inwardly of the core assembly (13) and distributor tanks (11,12), which is adapted to draw air axially and force the same radially outwardly through the core assembly (13) and around the distributor tanks (11,12). The ring-like distributor tanks (11,12) are provided with the interior and exterior fins (44,39) which function as heat transfer surfaces and thus the tanks (11,12), per se, are utilized as heat dissipating means along with the core assembly (13). Each distributor tank (11,12) is also formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced internal baffles or partitions (38) which are oriented with respect to the baffles or partitions (38) of the other distributor tank in such a manner that the liquid coolant is caused to make multiple axial and circumferential passes through the core assembly (13) resulting in considerably increasing the overall efficiency of heat transmission of the heat exchanger assembly (10).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A heat exchanger assembly comprising: a heat exchange means disposed about a central axis, said heat exchange means including:   fluid inlet means for introducing a fluid into the interior of said heat exchange means, fluid outlet means spaced from said fluid inlet means for discharging fluid from the interior of said heat exchange means, and fluid passageway means extending between and providing a fluid path between said fluid inlet means and said fluid outlet means, said fluid passageway means including a plurality of first elongatetd segment means lying generally in a first plane perpendicular to said central axis, a plurality of spaced segment means extending substantially parallel with respect to said central axis, one end of each of said spaced segment means being in fluid communication with a respective portion of a respective one of said elongated segment means, said fluid inlet means being in fluid communication with a portion of a respective first one of said first elongated segment means, said segment portion of said respective first one of said first elongated segment means being spaced intermediate the ends thereof, and said fluid passageway means further including a plurality of second elongated segment means lying generally in a second plane perpendicular to said central axis and axially spaced and parallel with respect to said first plane, and one end of each of said spaced segment means being in fluid communication with a respective portion of a respective one of said second elongated segment means.   
     
     
       2. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including a rotary fan generally encircled by said heat exchange means for causing cooling air to flow over said fluid passageway means when in operation, the rotational axis of said fan being substantially coincident with said central axis of said heat exchange means. 
     
     
       3. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said heat exchange means is generally annular in shape, and wherein said fluid inlet means is circumferentially spaced from said fluid outlet means. 
     
     
       4. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein said fluid outlet means is spaced diametrically opposite said fluid inlet means and is in fluid communication with a portion of a respective second one of said first elongated segment means, said segment portion of said second one of said first elongated segment means being spaced intermediate the ends thereof, said fluid passageway means further includes a third one of said first elongated segment means circumferentially interposed between said first one and said second one of said first elongated segment means and wherein each of said first one second one, and third one of said first elongated segment means is generally arcuate in shape. 
     
     
       5. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 4, further including, a rotary blower fan generally encompassed by said heat exchange means for causing cooling air to flow generally in a radially outward direction over said fluid passageway means when in operation, the rotational axis of said fan being substantially coincident with said central axis of said heat exchange means. 
     
     
       6. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 4, further including, a second fluid passageway means extending between and providing a second path for fluid to flow between said fluid inlet means and said fluid outlet means, said second fluid passageway means including said first one and said second one of said first elongated segment means, and a fourth one of said first elongated segment means circumferentially interposed between said first one and said second one of said first elongated segment means. 
     
     
       7. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein said second fluid passageway means includes a plurality of second spaced segment means extending substantially parallel with respect to said central axis, one end of each of said second spaced segment means being in fluid communication with a respective portion of a respective one of said second elongated segment means. 
     
     
       8. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein said third one of said first elongated segment means and said fourth one of said first elongated segment means lie generally in a common plane perpendicular to said central axis. 
     
     
       9. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 8, further including, a rotary blower fan generally encircled by said heat exchange means for causing cooling air to flow generally in a radially outward direction over said first and said second fluid passageway means when in operation, the rotational axis of said fan being substantially coincident with said central axis of said heat exchange means. 
     
     
       10. A heat exchanger assembly comprising: a generally annular header-core assembly having a central axis including a plurality of axially extending tubes arranged in a circular row, said tubes being circumferentially spaced with respect to each other in said row;   a generally annular fore distributor tank;   means for forming a plurality of generally arcuately extending fluid-receiving first compartments arranged end-to-end in said fore distributor tank;   means for operatively connecting said fore distributor tank to one axial side of said header-core assembly whereby each of said tubes is in fluid communication with a respective one of said first compartments;   a generally annular aft distributor tank;   means for forming a plurality of generally arcuately extending fluid-receiving second compartments arranged end-to-end in said aft distributor tank;   means for operatively connecting said aft distributor tank to the axial side of said header-core assembly opposite said fore distributor tank whereby each of said tubes is in fluid communication with a respective one of said second compartments;   fluid inlet means for introducing a fluid into the interior of said header-core assembly; and   fluid outlet means circumferentially spaced from said fluid inlet means for discharging fluid from the interior of said header-core assembly.   
     
     
       11. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of said second compartments is substantially in axial alignment with approximately one-half of each of said first compartments of a respective pair of arcuately adjacent first compartments of said fore distributor tank. 
     
     
       12. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said axially extending tube means includes a plurality of axially extending tubes arranged in a plurality of radially spaced rows with the tubes of each row being circumferentailly spaced with respect to each other and the tubes of the next radially adjacent row. 
     
     
       13. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein said annular header-core assembly includes a pair of ring-like, axially spaced headers generally defining the axial limits of said header-core assembly, said tubes extending axially through and being secured to said headers. 
     
     
       14. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein said header-core assembly further includes a plurality of relatively thin, axially spaced, ring-like fin means arranged between said headers, said tubes extending through and being in heat-transmitting relationship with said fin means. 
     
     
       15. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claims 10 or 14, wherein each of said first and second compartments has interiorly disposed, heat-transmitting fin means projecting inwardly from an interior wall surface portion thereof; and further including exteriorly disposed, heat-transmitting fin-means projecting outwardly from an exterior wall surface portion of each of said fore and aft distributor tanks. 
     
     
       16. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 14, wherein each of said first and second compartments has a plurality of interiorly disposed, heat-transmitting fins projecting substantially axially from an interior wall surface portion thereof, said interiorly disposed fins of each of said compartments being radially spaced with respect to each other and extending substantially arcuately within the compartment. 
     
     
       17. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claims 14 or 16, further including a plurality of exteriorly disposed, heat-transmitting fins projecting outwardly from an exterior wall surface portion of each of said fore and aft distributor tanks, said exteriorly disposed fins lying generally in planes containing said central axis and the fins of each of said fore and aft distributor tanks being circumferentially spaced with respect to each other. 
     
     
       18. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 14, wherein each of said first and second compartments has a plurality of interiorly disposed, heat-transmitting fins projecting substantially axially from an interior wall surface portion thereof, said interiorly-disposed fins of each of said compartments being radially spaced with respect to each other and extending substantially arcuately within the compartment, and further including a plurality of exteriorly disposed, heat-transmitting fins projecting outwardly from an exterior wall surface portion of each of said fore and aft distributor tanks, said exteriorly disposed fins lying generally in planes containing said central axis and the fins of each of said fore and aft distributor tanks being circumferentially spaced with respect to each other; and a rotary fan generally encompassed by said header-core assembly and said fore and aft distributor tanks for causing cooling air to flow between said fin means arranged between said headers and over said tubes when in operation, the rotational axis of said fan being substantially coincident with said central axis of said header-core assembly.   
     
     
       19. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 18, wherein said rotary fan is a blower type whereby cooling air is caused to flow generally in a radially outward direction between said fin means and over said tubes when in operation. 
     
     
       20. A heat exchanger assembly as set forth in claim 19, wherein each of said fore and aft distributor tanks has a substantially U-shaped section so as to provide a substantially annular, radially extending bight portion and a pair of radially spaced, axially extending leg portions, the free ends of said leg portions of each of said fore and aft distributor tanks abutting a respective one of said pair of headers and being secured thereto in a fluid-tight manner by a respective one of said means for operatively connecting said aft distributor tank to said header-core assembly and said means for operatively connecting said fore distributor tank to said header-core assembly, and said interiorly disposed, heat-transmitting fins projecting substantially axially from the interior surfaces of said bight portions of said fore and aft distributor tanks.   
     
     
       21. A heat exchanger assembly comprising: a generally annular header-core assembly including a pair of ring-like axially spaced headers generally defining the axial limits of said header-core assembly;   a plurality of tubes extending axially between and having their ends passing through and secured to said headers, said tubes being arranged in a plurality of radially spaced rows with the tubes of each row being circumferentially spaced with respect to each other and the tubes of the adjacent row, and said header-core assembly further including a plurality of relatively thin, axially spaced ring-like fin means arranged between said headers, said tubes extending through and being in heat-transmitting relationship with said fin means;   a generally annular fore distributor tank having a substantially U-shaped section so as to provide a substantially annular, radially extending bight portion and a pair of radially spaced, axially extending leg portions, the free ends of said leg portions abutting one of said pair of headers and being secured thereto in a fluid-tight manner, the interior surfaces of said bight and leg portions and the outwardly facing surface of said one of said pair of headers defining an annular first pocket, and a plurality of radially extending, circumferentailly spaced partitions in said first pocket to divide the same into a plurality of arcuately extending first compartments arranged end-to-end;   a generally aft distributor tank having a substantially annular, radially extending bight portion and a pair of radially spaced axially extending leg portions, the free ends of said leg portions abutting the other one of said pair of headers and being secured thereto in a fluid-tight manner, the interior surfaces of said bight and leg portions and the outwardly facing surface of said other one of said pair of said headers defining an annular second pocket, and a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced partitions in said second pocket to divide the same into a plurality of arcuately extending second compartments arranged end-to-end, each of said second compartments being substantially in axial alignment with approximately one-half of each of said first compartments of a pair of arcuately adjacent first compartments of said fore distributor tank;   fluid inlet means associated with a respective one of said second compartments for introducing fluid into the heat exchanger assembly; and   fluid outlet means associated with a respective one of said second compartments for discharging fluid from the heat exchanger assembly, said fluid outlet means being circumferentially spaced diametrically opposite said fluid inlet means.